tiny happy

slow stitching + painting

(above: Sampling of 'embroidery from the natural world' stitched by me; Felicia's hand-quilting; barn embroidery by Elizabeth Barnett.)

I'm very excited to tell you about Slow Stitching in the Barn, a new Craft Sessions retreat to be held in March next year.

The traditional September Craft Sessions retreat sells out so quickly each year that Felicia wanted to hold something similar but different - Slow Stitching in the Barn, as you might imagine, will focus purely on stitches with some drawing and painting too.

In Felicia's own words:

"... where I came to was that I really wanted the opportunity to dive deep into a particular discipline or craft for a whole weekend. I wanted us to have more time to have a deeper focus in one area. Once I got started on this train of thought, the ideas kept flowing. More topics, and more crafts, and more special events where we come together to connect and focus."

This special retreat will feature workshops in hand-quilting, embroidery both traditional and free-form, and some drawing and painting if you want to, all held at this beautiful place.

I'll be teaching, together with The Craft Sessions' Felicia Semple and artist Elizabeth Barnett.

We will be offering some specially designed projects including a hand-quilted piece, needlebooks, project bags, samplers, embroidered garments and watercolour painting, and all the materials will be provided.

Registration for this retreat opens on Sunday November 13, and there are lots more details to be found here and some more here.

There's also a giveaway running on the Craft Sessions blog - an embroidery parcel consisting of a hoop, linen and beautiful threads. Just click here to leave a comment and enter.

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I would absolutely love to see you at Slow Stitching in the Barn - I think it's going to be quite special.

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botanical focus

I hope you've had a lovely long weekend if you are a fellow New Zealander. It's Labour Weekend here - the official time to celebrate the advent of the eight-hour working day and to plant tomatoes and other summer crops.

I've been mostly doing the above, as well as spending time with some friends and family. And catching up on a few things, including sewing up some half-finished pieces for my etsy shop (you can see them in the photo above) and drinking coffee outside with Tom.

I also discovered the music of the Brad Mehldau Trio, this track in particular - perfection!

spring fling

Hello and happy October! Hope this finds you well, lovely reader.

I'm knitting some socks for Tom. They make a good project to carry around and sneak a few rows on every now and then (such as in my lunch break at work and on the bus). But they are taking a really long time! I'm worried I will contract a terrible case of 'second sock syndrome' when I finally finish the first one. Will be sure to keep you posted on this nail biting situation.

In the last photo above you can see some beautiful aquilegia (columbine) flowers that are having their moment in the garden. They've self-seeded from last year. But here is the strange thing: last summer they were a dark purple and yellow colour (I even have blog evidence). Do you know anything about this?

It's spring here in Wellington and that means even wilder weather, and asparagus. We love eating it around here, and it's nice to have a vegetable that is truly seasonal - it's not common to find asparagus for sale at any other time of the year. 

Anyway, asparagus tart is a favourite easy-to-make supper and if someone brings a bunch of asparagus home with them, I can have this ready in nearly half an hour. Here's the recipe:

SPRING FLING ASPARAGUS TART

1 1/4 cups plain flour
a pinch of salt
75 grams cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup milk
splash of malt or white vinegar
1 bunch of fresh asparagus

3 eggs
salt and cracked pepper
handful of grated cheddar cheese or crumbled feta
chopped fresh parsley and mint

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius and dust an oven tray with flour.
Make the pastry by placing flour, salt and butter in a food processor, and blitzing until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the splash of vinegar to the milk and let sit for half a minute or so. Add to flour and mix until a pastry ball is formed. (Add a little more flour or milk if too wet or dry). Roll pastry out into a rectangle a smidge bigger than the oven tray and lay the pastry over it. Fold the edges in to make a border. Trim asparagus and lay width-ways along the pastry.

Beat the eggs then mix in the salt and pepper, grated cheese and herbs. Pour this mixture over the asparagus carefully so it doesn't escape the pastry border. Bake for around 15-20 minutes, until it is golden and the pastry is crispy. Serve with salad and peas or broad beans. 

Happy spring times!

baby gifts forever

I haven't finished much in the craft department lately, except a collection of little gifts to post off to friends having new babies. I think that my friends and wider family are keeping the population of New Zealand healthy these days, haha.

Making baby gifts is a good way to get a craft fix, don't you think? Here are a few things recently finished:

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'Pebble' vest, knitted for my workmate's first baby. I used this yarn and the Pebble vest pattern. And of course rainbow buttons, just because.

Some big-eared elephants (using this pattern) and little spring hats (pattern is 'Modern Bonnet' from my own book) sewn from recycled clothes...! The merino wool fabric on the outside was once a skirt that didn't fit any longer, and the linings are from striped cotton t-shirts so they're very soft and cosy. 

A little newborn hat made from this free pattern, and knitted from Rowan sock yarn leftover from this project.

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Apart from making small things for new humans, I've also been enjoying this Tiny Desk concert by Hayley Bonar.

Hope this finds you well and having a good week!

pear tart + more

I've found it difficult to make my way here, lately, for a number of reasons (work and school holidays being the primary ones). But today I've managed to find some time to share this beautiful glossy red ranunculus, a gift from a friend. 

I do love the design aesthetic of these spring flowers, the way they are coloured like a definite decision, and their slow unfurling. 

I also wanted to show you some very special yarn: Purl Soho Flax Down in the most beautiful soft grey-mauve shade which I think is named 'grey fig.' My friend S was recently in New York and she brought it back for me. I adore it but haven't settled on what to do with it yet - I'm thinking a cowl, to take advantage of its softness. What would you make with such a beauty?

I also thought I'd share this recipe for a pear and walnut tart, made in a hurry for lunch-dessert today. I'm quite pleased with this invention (though I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of it!). It's more of a 'method' really, which I'll describe below.

Have a lovely new week ahead!

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Pear and walnut tart

Filo pastry
3-4 pears
Handful of walnuts
25 grams butter, melted
2 generous spoonfuls of honey
1 tsp ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Place baking paper on 2 baking trays and set aside. 
Place the honey and cardamom in a small saucepan and heat until liquid. Stir and let cool. 
Peel and thinly slice pears, then place fruit in honey mixture and gently combine so that each piece is coated.
Brush 4-5 filo pastry sheets with melted butter and stack together. Make either one tart or cut into 4 pieces. Fold edges in a bit to make a border and brush again with melted butter. 
Using your hands, take the sticky pear pieces and lay them out within the border. Scatter over chopped walnuts, and drizzle over any remaining honey mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and serve with natural yoghurt or cream.

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postcards and hellebores

I got some new postcards printed with photos taken recently - some have embroidery and others a sprig of late-summer flowers on them. I like to keep my stock of cards up, as they're very useful to have on hand for impromptu gift-giving and the like. I also enjoy wrapping them up with my etsy orders.

Also above: hellebores in my parents' garden. Just because.

Have a lovely weekend!

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